Val & Judi Bohdan

Judi was born on February 22, 1944 in Maplewood, Louisiana, the daughter of Leetus (L.E.) and Minnie Loftin Phillips. She grew up in Westlake and attended Acadian Baptist Academy in Richard, before graduating from Westlake High School. She eventually went on to graduate from McNeese State University with a degree in Industrial Art.

Judi married the love of her life, the late Vladimir (Val) Bohdan, on August 20 1982 and together they lived in many different places including Westlake and Maplewood, Louisiana; Helena, Arkansas; and Boise Idaho, before finally moved to the Mena area. They enjoyed living in the Mena area for 13 years and attempted to make Mena a sister city to Mena, Ukraine, where Val was born. Together they hosted numerous Foreign Exchange students in their home, which was very rewarding for both them and the students. In the winter months from November to March they liked to vacation in Pilar, Mexico. Val and Judi were very active - enjoying tennis, walking, mountain biking, and working in their yard. Judi was a uniquely talented artist and very involved in the art gallery in Mena, where she had several showings of her paintings, photos, and ceramics. She was a loving and kind mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to all who knew her. Although we are grateful she is no longer suffering, she will be dearly missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, L.E. and Minnie Phillips; her husband Val A. Bohdan; a daughter, Truda Diane Quick; and her siblings, Phyllis Moss, Phillip E. Phillips, and Truda Wing.

Judi is survived by her daughters, Denise Quick Savant and husband John, and Sandi Quick Smith and husband Gary; son, Scott Quick and significant other Stacey Stelly; stepson, Greg A. Bohdan and wife Denise; grandsons, Kevin W. Verret, Jr., Brice R. Savant, Randall (Logan) Wilson, Chance G Smith, Cole Bohdan, and Matthew Bohdan; great granddaughter, Molly Savant; and a host of nieces and nephews

A dual memorial service honoring Judi and Val will be held at 10 AM. on Saturday, November 28, 2015 at Hixon’s Funeral Home in Westlake with visitation beginning at 9.

Vladimir (Val) Bohdan (80) passed away on November 17, 2015 in Mena Arkansas. The son of Alexandra and Andrew Bohdan, Val was born on April 25, 1935, and grew up in Mena, Ukraine. His family migrated to the United States during World War II when he was a child, basically following Hitler’s retreat from Russia from in 1942, eventually making it to our shores in 1949.

After his family settled on a farm in northern Delaware, Val graduated from High School in Newark, Delaware, and subsequently attended the University of Delaware, earning a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. He worked several years in the US and Columbia as an engineer before earning an M.S. in chemical engineering from McNeese State University. About a decade later, Val left the petrochemical industry to pursue other interests, mainly writing “Avoiding Extinction”, a book on his family’s arduous flight from the Soviets, writing poetry, and teaching.

While working at the Olin Chemical Plant in Westlake, Val met Judi Phillips. They married in 1982 and lived in the Westlake and Maplewood areas before moving to Helena, Arkansas and living there for a few years. After Val received a job offer from the Idaho DEQ, they moved to Boise, Idaho where they stayed until they both retired. Upon retirement, Val attempted to unite Mena Arkansas and Mena, Ukraine as sister cities and they moved to the Mena area where lived out the rest of their lives.

In addition to being a writer and a poet, Val loved playing tennis, coaching and playing soccer, and playing music. He and Judi loved traveling together, often wintering in Pilar, Mexico and taking river cruises throughout Europe.

Val is survived by two sisters, Helen Bohdan Lahuta and Natalia Bohdan McDonough; his son Greg Bohdan and wife Denise; stepdaughters, Denise Quick Savant and husband John, and Sandi Quick Smith and husband Gary; stepson, Scott Quick and significant other Stacey Stelly; and grandsons Cole Bohdan, Matthew Bohdan, Kevin Verret, Jr., Randall (Logan) Wilson, Chance G Smith and Brice Savant; and great granddaughter, Molly Savant . He was preceded in death by his parents, Alexander and Andrew Bohdan; and his brother Vasyl Bohdan.

A dual memorial service honoring Val and Judi will be held at 10 AM. on Saturday, November 28, 2015 at Hixon’s Funeral Home in Westlake with visitation beginning at 9.